Separator for storage batteries



NOV. 28, 1933. T. B ENTZ E( AL 1,937,405

I SEPARATOR FOR STORAGE BATTERIES Original Filed Sept. 4l 1926 ngc one

gogo ooogog oooooo O OO O0 O OO 0000 O 00000000000000000000 0000 302002oooo UUU oooo OgOgOgOgO OOOO Oogoooooo Patented Nov. 28, 1933 SEPABATORFOR STORAGE BATTERIES Theodore B. Entz, Brooklyn, and Almond H. Snyder,Lancaster, N. Y., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Gould StorageBattery Corporation, Depew, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationSeptember 4, 1926, Serial No. 133,663 Renewed June 29, 1931 -iso 8Claims.

This invention relates to separators for storage batteries, and moreespecially to separators comprising two or more elements.

The principal object of our invention is to provide a separator composedof two or more elements in which the position and compression of one o1said elements is controlled.

Another object of our invention is to provide in a compound separator aspacing member which shall have marginal portions adapted to conne afibrous member.

Another object, also, is to provide a compound separator with a memberhaving projections from a face adapted to limit the compression to whicha fibrous member of said separator may be subjected. Y.

Still another object is to provide a separator comprising a supportingmember, preferably of rubber, which may have marginal strips adapted toposition a iibrous mat of glass wool, and further to limit the extent towhich the glass wool may be compressed.

A further object is to provide a separator comprising a supportingmember having on one side portions adapted to position a brous mat andon the other side spacing strips adapted to ensure adequate circulationof the electrolyte.

A still further object is to provide under certain circumstances aseparator of glass wool,

3 Wood and a supporting member of relatively inert material.

Other objects of our invention will become readily apparent onconsideration of the drawing which shows a preferred form of ourinvention, inwhich,-

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal view with portions of the severalelements removed to show those parts in their interrelation.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

. In the development of compound separators it has been found veryadvantageous to use a mat of glass Wool or similar inert fibrousmaterial in contact with the positive plate 1. The difllculty hashitherto been to protect this mass of brittle bers and to insure thatthe mat is of a uniform density which will freely.. permit the 'passageof electrolyte but prevent; the passage of nely divided particles fromthe positive plate which might cause a short circuit. The density ofthis iibrous mass is largely controlled by the degree to\which it iscompressed. To control this degree of compression we may provide asupporting member 2, preferably of rubbed or other insulating mterial,having marginal strips (Cl. 13G-145) 3 spaced to enclose a mat of feltedglass wool 4. Disregarding for a moment the other characteristics of themat 4 which eiects its permeability, such as the size of the individualstrands, it will be readily seen that by varying the thickness of thesestrips 3 in conjunction with the thickness of the mat 4, a desireddegree of compression and, hence, a desreddegree of density andpermeability, may be obtained.

Under certain conditions it is desirable to have free circulation of theelectrolyte between the plates. We may insure this condition byproviding the member 2 with a number of spacing strips 5 on the oppositeside from the marginal strips 3 which would form vertical open spacesagainst the negative plate 6.

The-beneficial effect of the use of wood or Wood elements in storagebatteries is now generally recognized, especially with respect to theeffect on the negative plate. This benecial effect may be accomplishedby associating wood or wood elements with the-active materials of theplates or, as is the more common practice, by using a wood diaphragm. Inour invention we may secure the beneficial effect of wood elements bymaking the supporting member of wood, one form of which is shown in thedrawing, or we may use a wood diaphragm interposed between thesupporting member 2 and the mat 4. Another manner in which wood or woodelements may be introduced is to insert a layer of vegetable fiber inthe fibrous mat or to associate with the glass'wool vegetable iiber orWood elements.

A valuable feature of our invention is the fact that while the activematerial of the positive plate is held in place by the compressible matof glass wool, which allows for the required expansion, the marginalcolumns of the plate and the separators may be adapted to be rigidly andmutually supporting. Further, should the plate 95 warp, the strips 3will prevent the mat from being crushed or cut through With-theaccompanying danger of short circuiting.

While Figs. l and 2 embody a preferred form of our invention, the numberand position of the spacing strips 3 and 5 may be varied to suit therequirements of the particular battery.

Having described our invention, we claim:-

1. In a storage battery embodying positive and negative plates, aseparator comprising a sheet of 'material' provided with perforationsthroughout the major portion of its area with its side edgesimperforate, relatively rigid strips secured to said sheet at themarginal portions thereof and adapted to bear against the edges of thepositive plate, said strips spacing the sheet away from the plate todefine a recess of slightly less dimensions than the plate, and a mat offelted brousmaterial located within and filling said recess andcontacting with the positive plate.

2. In a storage battery embodying positive and negative plates, aseparator comprising a sheet of material provided with perforationsthroughout the major portion of its area with its side edgesimperforate, relatively rigid strips secured to said sheet at themarginal portions thereof and adapted to bear against the edges of thepositive plate, said strips spacing the sheet away from the plate todene a recess of slightly less dimensions than the plate, and a mat offelted fibrous material located within and filling said recess andcontacting with the positive plate, the mat comprising glass wool.

3. In a storage battery embodying positive and negative plates, aseparator comprising a sheet of material provided with perforationsthroughout the major portion of its area with its side edgesimperforate, relatively rigid strips secured to said sheet at themarginal portions thereof and adapted to bear against the edges of thepositive plate, said strips spacing the sheet away from the plate todene a recess of slightly less dimensions than the plate, and a mat offelted fibrous material located within and lling said recess andcontacting with the positive plate, the mat comprising glass wool havingwood fiber incorporated there- 1n.

4. In a storage battery embodying positive and negative plates, aseparator comprising a sheet of material provided with perforationsthroughout the major portion of its area with its side edgesimperforate, relatively rigid strips secured to said sheet at themarginal portions thereof and adapted to bear against the edges of thepositive plate, said strips spacing the sheet away from the plate todene a recess of slightly less dimensions than the plate, a mat offelted fibrous material located within and filling said recess andcontacting with the positive plate, and spaced vertical strips on theouter side of said sheet adapted to contact with the adjacent negativeplate to define vertical openings for the passage of the electrolyte.

5. In a storage battery embodying positive and negative plates, aseparator comprising a sheet of material provided with perforationsthroughout the major portion of its area with its side edgeslmperforate, relatively rigid strips secured to said sheet at themarginal portions thereof and adapted to bear against the edges of thepositive plate, said strips spacing the sheet away from the plate todene a recess of slightly less dimensions than the plate, and a mat offelted brous material located within and filling said recess andcontacting with the positive plate, the sheet being of greaterdimensions than the plates whereby to project beyond the edges thereof.

6. In a storage battery embodying a positive plate, a negative plate andelectrolyte, a separator located between the plates and comprising a matof yielding material and a supporting member, said member having on oneside a plurality of marginal portions coextensive with the mat andlocated beyond the edges thereof to restrain the mat against lateraldisplacement with respect to said member and to coact with marginalportions of said positive plate to limit the compression of the mat bysaid plates, said supporting member having on the other side verticalspacing portions adapted to coact with marginal and intermediateportions of said negative plate to provide vertical passages for thecirculation of said electrolyte.

7. In a storage battery, a positive plate, a negativeA plate,electrolyte, and a separator located between the plates and comprising amat of felted inert yielding material and a supporting member, saidmember having on one side a plurality of portions extending the fulllength thereof adapted to position said mat and to coact with portionsof said positive plate to limit the compression of the mat by theplates, said supporting member having on the other side projectingportions engaging against portions of said negative plate to providespaces for the circulation of said electrolyte, the edges of thepositive plate being exposed.

8. A separator for the plates of a storage battery comprising a sheet ofrigid material having relatively rigid strips carried by certain of theedges thereof adapted to bear against and project beyond the side of astorage battery plate, said strips spacing the major portion of thesheet away from the plate to define a recess, and a felted brous matlocated within the recess and contacting throughout flatly with thesheet and plate.

THEODORE B. ENTZ. ALMOND H. SNYDER.

